Climate change is a workplace issue. Here’s how HR can support employees.

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Climate change.

Extreme weather events resulting from climate change pose a threat to the health of over 65 million “nonelderly” workers, according to research from health policy nonprofit KFF. While 81% of executives are concerned about how these weather events might impact the workplace, only 62% have a response plan, a recent report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found.

Whether wildfires in California or hurricanes in North Carolina, extreme weather events happen all around us, said Tracy Watts, senior partner and national leader for US health policy at consulting firm Mercer. “So many things happened last year, I felt like that really brought climate to the forefront…as something that is a true threat to worker health,” she told HR Brew.

Bruce Tracey, Blanchard professor of HR management at the Nolan School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University, who works with companies on weather protocols, agrees with Watts—adding that it’s important for companies to recognize how these events can impact employees, in order to develop responsive plans.

“Climate change is one of many notable forces that influence people, both at work and at home, and as a result, firms need to recognize that these kinds of forces do influence people, emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally,” Tracey said.

Experts shared with HR Brew how people leaders can support employees before, during, and after extreme weather events.

Start with communication. HR pros can create a communication plan to raise awareness about climate change, Watts said. Watts, who lives in Florida, said that during hurricane season, Mercer’s parent company Marsh McLennan communicates with her about how to stay safe, a protocol every company should follow.

“We get communication…saying, ‘Hey, we’re coming into hurricane season. Here’s a list of things you want to be mindful of. You want to have [these] kinds of supplies on hand…so that you’re prepared going into the season,’” Watts said.

HR should check in with employees during extreme weather events, asking about their evacuation or safety plans, their location, and if they need emergency assistance, Watts said. For weather events that last an entire season or occur during working hours, like extreme heat for those who work outside, she suggested HR inform employees of potential health risks and ways to adapt working conditions.

“Going into the season, [tell] people what they need to be aware of in extreme heat, what to watch out for, knowing the symptoms of heat fatigue,” she said. “[Be] more vigilant with outdoor workers…Where do they go to cool off? How do you provide water to them?...A lot of it is really just being aware, and planning, and then acting accordingly.”

When consulting companies, Tracey said weather-related protocols are often “buried in a handbook somewhere.” But they need to be visible and discussed regularly.

“It’s an identifier of who you are as a company, that safety is an important part of how we do our business here. … Talk about it [in] meetings…[and] formally through training and performance reviews, and accountability systems…reward those who are complying with, and supportive of, and reinforcing these types of values that go back to safety first,” he said.

What else can HR do? Watts said extreme weather events might require resources similar to those needed during the pandemic, like emergency relief funds. HR teams can also conduct climate vulnerability assessments, which can help identify employees who are susceptible to extreme weather events. With that information, HR can offer more specific resources.

Companies can tap their local government and community for support, too, Tracey said, whether employees are temporarily out of work and need state unemployment benefits, or need shelter and food.

Employers should also remember to have sensitivity and compassion, said Kerry Ebersole Singh, executive VP and chief talent solutions officer at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

“Be human and sensitive to the realities that people are now faced with because of the changing elements,” Singh told HR Brew. “Employers, HR professionals, they need that…understanding that this is very much a new space for us in this moment of humanity’s existence.”

Extreme weather events can be traumatic for employees, Tracey said, making access to mental health resources important. Supporting employees can be a heavy responsibility for people leaders, so those resources should be available to HR pros, too.

“Mental health extends to the leaders as well, and that they need to have outlets and resources to help them with the loads that they carry,” he said. “We’re all human beings, and we all can be influenced very negatively if we don’t have a very constructive means to manage these influences.”